Forged from Circumstance
by Majs007
Summary: You'd think, wouldn't you, that a person's life can only be so far controlled by Fate, and that what he does controls what and where he is. Not so. By no fault of his own, a person could be two different people, utterly and totally separated by that thing


"Hi Trunks. Is your mom home?"

"Yeah she's in the lab. Come on, I'll take you."

Trunks walked Gohan through the winding corridors of his home. It was easy to get lost with all the winding paths and Gohan found out in the times that he visited. In the many labs that Bulma had, one would have to guess or have a guide to find were she was.

Trunks led Gohan closer to the lab. "So why do you need my mom?"

Gohan smiled at Trunks. "I want her to make me a suit so I could fight crime. Too many people could recognize me if I just go out like this."

"Wow! Fight crime! That's so cool. I want mom to make me one too!"

*****

"Come on, Gohan! I'm strong enough! I want to fight the androids too!"

"I'm sorry Trunks. I have to fight them. Its not like I choose to. I...I need to protect everyone, Trunks. I need to protect you and Bulma. I need you all to be alive."

Gohan clenched his fist and stared at the blue sky. The blue seemed too peaceful; oblivious of the chaos that ruled Earth. For so many nights, Gohan wished for peace. He never wanted to fight and he didn't was to fight now. But if he didn't go and try to protect the remaining people of Earth, they would die because of him, because he wasn't there. Gohan shook his head and placed and hand on Trunks' shoulder. "Another time," he whispered, before flying off leaving Trunks behind to cry his silent tears.

*****

"Hey, Gohan. Congratulations. I heard you got into one of the best universities on the planet!" Trunks said clapping Gohan on the arm. Gohan briefly winced but smiled.

"It wasn't so hard. I'm happy that I got all this way."

"Ha! If it weren't for me, you wouldn't have made it! I'm the one that made you study instead of fighting. If you grew up fighting, you probably would have gotten yourself killed somewhere!" ChiChi said pushing Gohan lightly aside. "Now Trunks, you need to start with your studies too. Where's your mom? I need to talk with her."

Trunks grimaced inside at the thought of studying but kept his thoughts to himself. "She's in the kitchen I think. Or maybe she's in one of her labs. I'm not really sure. Where's Goten?" Trunks asked looking behind her.

"Right here!" Shouted Goten, bopping Trunks on the head. Trunks whirled around to try to grab him but Goten was expecting that. He managed to get away before Trunks could do anything.

"Hey! Come back here! You aren't going to get away with that Goten!" Trunks shouted and went after him.

"Kids." Gohan shrugged. He then thought of Videl and how she'll be going elsewhere to study. It didn't matter. It would only be a matter of time before he would finally propose to her. His whole life was planned out. Gohan never felt this way about anyone ever. There were rain clouds forming over in the distance. Gohan smiled and went inside before the rain would catch him. Life was perfect.

*****

Trunks felt the few drops falling on him. The rain didn't bother him; it was the shape in front of him that did. The closer that he arrived at the shape, the harder the rain hit and the darker the sky became. His hair was plastered to his head and the cold was starting to bother him. All these elements he ignored, instead was making his way to the shape like a zombie.

The closer he came, the more the shape formed in a body. Closer and closer the body formed in into someone he knew. Oh had known.

Trunks stopped in front of the body and fell to his knees. He shook the body, trying to give whatever warmth he had into the body. The eyes stared back at him with nothing inside. Emotionless. Vacant. 

Gohan. Gohan was dead. His mentor, his teacher. His adopted father and brother. His best friend. Trunks then did the only plausible thing his mind could think of. He screamed. His scream penetrated the Earth. Anything alive would have fled from the scream. Sadness, guilt, fear and anger were all present in the scream. And in the middle of the scream, Trunks snapped. He became louder, louder than he ever felt before. He felt larger and more alive than he had ever felt in his entire life. It became as though he was his surroundings. Each drop that fell penetrated to his very bones but he didn't feel any of them. All the winds around his bit him, lashing at his very pores, but he didn't feel them. The trees, the sky, earth; every blade of grass became a part of him. He felt everything around him but Gohan. That realization made him think of this power. 'So this is what Gohan felt every time he fought the androids,' Trunks thought before the power finally overwhelmed him and was consumed by darkness.

*****

Trunks involuntarily shivered as he tackled his best friend in the grass. He ignored it as a change in the weather and concentrated in trying to get Goten as muddy as possible with the falling rain.

"You two! Get inside this instant! Goten! I'm not washing your clothes this time! Inside! Now!" ChiChi shouted while remain in the shelter of the doorway from the rain.

Goten inwardly winced. He knew that he was in a ton of trouble, like always. At least Trunks will get in trouble with him. Then he might have someone with him when he sneaks away from whatever chore his mom would force upon him.

"Don't worry mom. They are still kids." Gohan said, lightly pulling ChiChi away from the door.

"Just kids?! They are young adults! They should behave as such!" ChiChi yelled, loud enough so Trunks and Goten heard.

Gohan proceeded to drag her away from the door. "I know. But we should let them have some fun once in a while. Its Goten that has to wear those clothes not you. Let him take care of them himself."

Goten's mouth dropped open. "No wait! Mom! Don't listen to him! How am I supposed to get girls with muddy clothes! Wait!" Goten went towards the door ignoring Trunks and his laughter.

ChiChi smiled and shut the door on Goten. "Thanks Gohan. I don't know what I would do without you. I just wish that the same method would work on that husband of mine..."

Gohan chuckled to himself. "Come on. I think Bulma is in one of her labs. I think I know the way. I want to see what knew think she's working on."

*****

Trunks knocked on the door of the small house in the mountains with his foot. The sound of a woman peacefully singing to herself stopped when she announced she was coming to the door.

Trunks was crying silently but the rain washed the tears away as though they were never there. In his arms, Gohan laid, unmoving, with all the life gone from him.

ChiChi opened the door smiling, waiting to welcome her son back home and preparing to scold him for leaving so abruptly. She gasped when she saw Trunks. Her eyes wandered down to the body of Gohan. Her son and only son. Tears flowed from her eyes before she realized they were there. 

She slowly raised her hand to Gohan's face. It was cold, too cold to the touch. ChiChi cried out and grabbed Gohan's shoulders and tried to shake him awake. The movement was so furious that ChiChi brought Gohan away from Trunks' arms and onto the cold, wet grass. Ignoring the rain that fell past her, she held Gohan in a tight embrace rocking back a forth, her wailing echoing off of the mountains. Trunks fell to his knees beside her and wept.

*****

Trunk's laughed louder when ChiChi shut the door at Goten's face. Goten, finally annoyed with Trunks' laughing tackled him into the grass. They were regular punches; no harm done anyway but the mud covered them completely. It got to the point where they were both laughing again, trying to get the other as muddy as possible.

Finally, both too exhausted to so play any longer, they laid out in the rain, arms stretched out. They both watched as the rain dissipate and the sun coming out from behind the clouds.

Trunks felt the sun warm him up and dry the rain from him. The only thought that past through his mind at that moment was, 'Life is good.'


End file.
